Sudhir KumarAIR 42 · CSE 2017 · 212 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a definition
Hypothesis is guiding light for investigation. It is a tentative generalization, the validity of which remains to be tested by collecting data. When verified and found true, it leads to formation of theory. Example. Weber developed a hypothesis that Protestantism has relationship with capitalism and then proved it and developed theory of relationship between religious values and mode of production.
Hypothesis is designed to test its empirical consequences. It may be contrary to real situation, may be correct or incorrect, but leads to empirical investigation. Two types of hypothesis -
Body · continuous prose
a) Crude :- Very low level of abstraction b) Hypothesis refined :- Higher level of abstraction
Close · a summary
Hypothesis as starting point of theory building leads to investigation in right direction. It determines procedure of enquiry and also method of verification. It limits the scope of enquiry so as to remain focussed. In the quest, laws and conclusions are discovered, significant for advancement of sociology.
A hypothesis is not a deterministic statement. Like hypothesis that class position leads to level of crime merely denotes that class position is one of the factor, not the only one.
Thus hypothesis make observation, experimentation, explanation and deduction possible. But for hypothesis to be useful, it needs to be precise. It must be capable of being tested empirically.